SEA20 is a league of cities working under the common aim of rethinking the marine ecosystem. This will entail embracing digitalisation, and will result in the creation of innovative, smart and sustainable ways of doing business across our oceans.

The aim of SEA20 is to connect 20 smart and ecologically ambitious marine cities. So far, the global network has brought together Hamburg, Helsinki, Luleå, Vaasa, Rotterdam, Trieste, the State of Washington and the City of Genoa.

SEA20 is a not-for-profit initiative run by Nordic West Office, a global affairs consultancy and think tank based in Helsinki, Stockholm, Brussels and Washington DC.

The initiative is made possible by Wärtsilä, a global leader in smart technologies and complete lifecycle solutions for marine and energy markets.

Genoa is the newest member to join the league of smart and ecologically ambitious marine cities.

Sealed with an official signing on June 25 of 2019 during Genoa Shipping Week, the Italian city became the eighth member of SEA20, joining Hamburg, Helsinki, Luleå, Vaasa, Rotterdam, Trieste and the State of Washington in rethinking the marine ecosystem.

The global network of leading marine cities aims to hasten the adoption and deployment of best practices, embracing digitalisation and legislating new, environmentally friendlier, sustainable and smarter ways of doing business across our oceans.

Giancarlo Vinacci, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, Municipality of Genoa, views entering the SEA20 network as a great opportunity for the historically unique location that used to be the richest city in the world for 250 years, and the main hub for global trade.

“Being able to be part of SEA20 and dealing with burning issues such as keeping the sea clean and thus safeguarding what is also the wealth of our planet, is very important,” Vinacci says.
He adds that Genoa is already an active operator with regards to climate issues and can utilise its existing structures also in this field.

”Genoa is, for example, the leader of the first Italian Smart Cities Association, which was established a decade ago. We are fully committed to advancing all aspects related to an ecological and sustainable marine ecosystem, and believe we can be instrumental in making an important contribution to the SEA20 initiative,” Vinacci concludes.